Driving up the coastline in South Florida we found a beautiful place called Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach, near Fort Lauderdale. For only $6 to park the whole day, it is quite the bargain indeed! There are multiple parking areas with beach access and bathrooms, pavilions, a boat ramp and even a concession stand.
The best part is that there are no hotels, traffic, or a ton of people to ruin the view and serenity. There were few sunbathers and we mostly had the beach to ourselves.
The weather on this day in the middle of "winter" was as perfect as could be imagined. The sun sparkled on the calm, bright blue water. The breeze was nice and not too strong.
I enjoyed the Mangrove trees that lined the beach, both protecting and adding to its natural beauty, with their seed pods littering the sand. There were also coconuts to be found, many of which were still full of their water.
Now, if you are a sea shell enthusiast, like myself, then this is the place to go. The shore is lined with beautiful shells, many of which are still whole despite being washed up by the waves.
In addition, there were amazing chunks of coral that ranged in variety. I have never found so much as a single piece further up the coastline, but here, I had to stop myself from taking too many.
The beach is somewhat narrow, but overall, I think it is a perfectly secluded paradise to go to relax and recharge.
I give Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park the Yummy Bitch Stamp of Approval. Check it out.